Here I Am - Jonathan Safran Foer

Penguin Random House, September 6, 2016.

Four Stars

Here I Am is a spiritual, contemplative novel disguised as a family drama. Jacob, the main character, explores issues of fatherhood – the title is taken from the biblical story of Abraham and his son Isaac – as well as the complexities of marriage and how familial bonds affect one’s practice of spirituality. Jacob struggles to define what it means to be Jewish today in America – is it about simple belief, committed practice, or the extreme of sacrificing himself for Israel’s freedom?

The novel covers the events of one month in the life of Jacob Bloch and his wife Julia, in present day Washington, D.C. The Blochs are facing problems in their marriage that have been building for a long time, and they have reached a point where even minor issues cause major conflict. They are still deeply connected to each other but they are disconnected and lacking passion. Their three sons are clever and precocious – sometimes too much so for their age, but their dialogue was definitely the most fun part of the novel. Even when Jacob and Julia discuss divorce, their bond is strong and their communication is clever and respectful.

The Blochs’ family drama is interrupted by visiting Israeli relatives, in town for Jacob’s oldest son Sam’s bar mitzvah. Their trip to D.C. coincides with a catastrophic earthquake in the Middle East that has far reaching effects on political policy. Jacob sees his visiting cousin as an alternate version of himself, had he chosen to live in Israel and focus more on his Jewish heritage – he is inspired by his nephew, a soldier in the Israeli army, to contemplate relocating to Israel in order to defend the country in the war that seems to be coming. The international conflict echoes Jacob’s internal one, as he struggles with his concept of religious identity.

Foer’s new novel makes many surprising observations about spirituality, love and life – but I think there is just too much going on here. It felt like Foer just had so many ideas for this book, and he was unable to edit out any of them for the greater good. Although the dialogue between the Bloch family members is the strongest part of the novel – the conversations are so authentic yet so entertaining – many of the situations felt like parts of short stories that were thrown in because they share a common theme. It does seem like Here I Am may be autobiographical to some extent, as Foer has recently split with his wife, author Nicole Krauss, and the emotional complexities of the novel feel like they were perhaps a cathartic process.

Like Foer’s other works, this novel is full of irreverent yet mature humour, referencing topical current events. It is a more mature version of Foer’s earlier novels, in which his usual thoughts and ideas are grounded in realism yet made broader at the same time. The strength of Here I Am is in speech – not only the dialogue, but the speeches that define events such as Sam’s bar mitzvah – and even Abraham’s speech to Isaac and, more importantly, to God. Even though the threads of this novel get tangled halfway through, it is not only entertaining but also intellectually stimulating. Fans of Foer will once again love this book.

I received this book from Penguin Random House and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Change of Heart - Sonali Dev

Kensington Books, September 27, 2016.

Four Stars

Nikhil works as a doctor on a cruise ship, drowning his sorrows in alcohol after the death of his wife two years before. Jen, Nik’s wife, was working for Doctors Without Borders in Mumbai when she discovered a black market organ transplant right – her knowledge of this criminal element likely led to her murder. Instead of trying to discover the truth about Jen’s death, Nikhil hides his feelings in a bottle, until another woman appears and challenges his views on life.

When Jess first meets Nikhil, she seems to know secrets about his life with Jen that she couldn’t possibly have access to – she claims that she was the recipient of Jen’s heart, and that Jen is speaking to her, not only about her life with Nik but also about the circumstances surrounding her death. The gaps in the story are filled in by quotes from Jen’s diary at the beginning of each chapter, and they give hints of what is to come. Jess convinces Nikhil that they need to return to his hometown of Chicago to search for clues and find out the truth – meanwhile, we find out the truth about Jess, and she has an ulterior motive in recruiting Nikhil.

The perspective alternates between Nikhil and Jess, so we know right away that she isn’t who she seems to be. Her abusive childhood led her to a career in a Bollywood dance troupe, and she trusts no one, with the exception of her young son, Joy. Everything she does is for Joy, although we don’t learn the full extent of Joy’s involvement in Jess’s actions until much later. Meanwhile, we also see inside Nikhil’s head as he slowly but passionately begins to fall in love with Jess.

A complicated bond forms between the two, and although their relationship often felt emotionally manipulative, it was always riveting. It felt like a new adult romance with a touch of melodrama – two damaged people trying to save each other while sacrificing themselves. On a deeper level, the novel also explores the darkness under the surface of modern Indian-American life – and I liked the references to Indian culture that were made without dumbing them down for a white audience. Nikhil’s family features strongly in the story, and they are also characters in Dev’s other novels.

A Change of Heart combines romance and intrigue with a thrilling mystery. It is about tortured, broken people struggling to reach a happy ending, but it never sinks into cliché – at the last second, Dev surprises us with fresh and new twists. The ending is happy, but not perfect, as the soap opera melodrama comes on a bit strong. Although the story wasn’t the most believable, it still gets a solid four stars for emotional impact.

I received this book from Kensington Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Strays - Emily Bitto

Legend Press, August 15, 2016.

Five Stars

In the 1980s, Lily receives an invitation to an art retrospective from a childhood friend, and it brings back all of her conflicting memories of growing up in 1930s Melbourne. Lily’s passionate friendship with Eva Trentham allowed her entrance into the family’s bohemian lifestyle, led by Eva’s father. The infamous modernist painter, Evan, his wife and their three daughters, live in a rambling old farmhouse with several other artists, building their dream of a creative utopian commune. Lily becomes wrapped up in their world, but it is a fantasy that cannot last.

Young Lily fell in love with the entire Trentham family and their eccentric lifestyle, and she wants to completely immerse herself in it. When her own family experiences tragedy, Lily gets her wish to stay temporarily with the Trenthams. She is a part of their alcohol and drug fueled parties, as well as the intimate moments between members of the commune. The adults around her are making careless and even dangerous decisions, but it is Lily and the other girls who will pay the price.

This is a story about the compromise between creative ambition and family life, in which conflicted loyalties will be exposed and difficult choices must be made. The young girls are treated with a level of maturity that they are not mentally prepared for, and it leads them to make adult decisions that their young minds cannot handle. The older Lily, a wife and mother herself, still regrets the decisions she made as a child – she was expected to know better, but she was much too young to understand the far-reaching consequences of her choices.

The setting of the Trentham house is pastoral and nostalgic – it has a youthful simplicity that Lily wishes she could return to, but beneath the façade lay obsessions and secrets. The bohemian idyll, seen especially through the passionate intensity of childhood, is unsustainable. The mystery behind Lily’s story is compelling, but it is also somewhat comfortable because we know that Lily survives her past as she looks back to tell us her story. It felt like a Kate Morton novel, a passive mystery, that of an outsider looking in on events that are no longer a threat to her.

The language used to describe Lily’s past is lovely – flowing and atmospheric. However, the flow was sometimes interrupted by a particularly jarring metaphor or unnecessary adjectives. This is Bitto’s debut novel, but she also has a Ph.D. in creative writing – the writing is almost perfect in a technical sense, but there is a lack of experience. I was impressed that each and every character felt so real and complex, pulling us into their story. This novel wasn’t suspenseful, but its mysterious, leisurely pace was completely enjoyable and I look forward to Bitto’s next novel.

I received this book from Legend Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

To the Bright Edge of the World - Eowyn Ivey

Little, Brown & Company, August 2, 2016.

Four Stars

The stark beauty of the Alaskan landscape is brought brilliantly to life in Ivey’s latest novel. As the 19^th century comes to a close, exploration of the northern land is still going strong, and the vast setting is filled with mysteries. Colonel Allen Forrester is given the task of navigating Alaska’s remote Wolverine River with a small group of men – the American government wants to use the river to open up trade routes and access gold reserves, but the traditional people and spirits of Alaska may not allow him to succeed.

Forrester has recently been married to Sophie, but he must leave his young bride behind almost immediately, in order to explore the wilderness. Sophie soon realizes she is pregnant, and she begins to feel trapped in the Oregon army barracks – she craves adventure too, at a time when women were expected to stay safely at home. To compensate for her homebound life, she takes up hobbies such as birdwatching and photography, and she manages to expand her own horizons in surprising ways.

The story is told through the letters that pass between Forrester and Sophie, and they are supplemented by maps, illustrations and newspaper articles that bring a real sense of the time. Alternating with the story set in 1885 are sections set in the present day – these also take the form of letters, between Walter, a descendent of Forrester, and Joshua, an Alaskan museum curator. They are planning to exhibit Forrester and Sophie’s various historical ephemera in the tiny museum, to preserve a part of Alaskan history. Although their sections act as a framing device, they are just as strong as the other parts – they are fully developed characters in their own right.

Walter’s descriptions of the historical documents add context to Forrester’s adventures, which are often surreal. The intervention by white explorers led to the disappearance of the spiritual and even supernatural elements that were present in Forrester’s time, and he describes his surprising interactions with them in his letters. He speaks of shapeshifters, shamans, and crossing the boundaries between the living and the dead. However, even though Forrester’s discoveries were interesting in a larger way, it was Sophie’s domestic exploration of her small, intimate world that I enjoyed most.

This is a lengthy novel, but it held my attention for the most part by jumping through time, place and perspective. The beautiful setting and strong sense of place add a magical element to the characters’ lives, although they are deeply rooted in the earth. Considering the poetic title and stunning book cover, this novel definitely lived up to my expectations as a beautiful, complex and timeless story.

I received this book from Little, Brown & Company and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wish Me Luck As You Wave Me Goodbye - Marius Gabriel

Lake Union Publishing, August 4, 2015.

Three Stars

Gabriel’s novel follows the three Redcliffe sisters in the years leading up to World War II. Beginning during the Spanish Civil War, two of the sisters are trapped in rural Spain, while one remains in England. Isobel is the oldest, separated from her wealthy Spanish husband after the death of their child. Her youngest sister Felicity is only nineteen, and she has recently decided to join a convent back in England as a nun. When Isobel’s mansion is requisitioned by the Republican army, one of their soldiers decides to escort the women across the country so they can find safe passage back to England.

The soldier, William Willoughby, features throughout the sisters’ lives for many years to come. Although Felicity has a crush on him, his rejection solidifies her decision to become a nun. Isobel travels from Spain to Germany in a show of support for the Fascist cause, but when she reverses her politics after witnessing the persecution of Jewish citizens during Kristallnacht, she ends up in the arms of Willoughby. Isobel is strong and domineering, but even loving sister Felicity is shocked by the ensuing events.

Meanwhile, middle sister Chiara is relatively safe in London, living a fun and carefree life at dances and on dates, until she meets a much older man who refuses to commit to her. At the same time, London becomes more dangerous for everyone as bombs drop with increased frequency. Each sister grows up under the shadow of WWII, and it brings them together and drives them apart in shocking ways.

The novel is episodic, broken into long chapters that almost stand on their own – in fact, they were originally released individually as separate short stories. Each chapter does enhance the others, as we see overlapping events through the eyes of another sister. Although they care deeply for each other, they are just as likely to cause each other pain when they make difficult decisions.

I found the historical aspects very interesting, especially Isobel’s uneducated support of Hitler’s Nazi regime and her shock and disappointment when she learns the truth about the government’s agenda. I liked that none of the sisters were all good or evil – they were well-rounded, complicated individuals. What I did not enjoy was the stiff, unrealistic and often silly dialogue. The sisters’ emotional responses seemed real, but their ability to realistically express themselves was lacking. There was also an issue with the unresolved ending, which may be leaving room for a sequel. There were plenty of loose ends for the Redcliffe sisters to resolve in the future.

I received this novel from Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.